Aphrodite and Eros and Filiform Aphrodite: a Comparative Study of Two Artworks

When selecting which pieces of art I wanted to compare, I came across a few options that I liked. I decided to choose Aphrodite and Eros as well Filiform Aphrodite. Both statues obviously are meant to represent Aphrodite but look completely different.

Aphrodite and Eros is a terracotta, seven and one quarter inch tall statue that was painted. Some of the paint has worn away but the color has remained. It was made in the third century B.C. Aphrodite is seated, holding a winged baby Eros in her left arm and a rattle in her right hand. The throne she is seated on is quite plain and simple but is a large scale for a chair. There is a thick pillow underneath her, in which she is seated upon. She has her head tilted downward and to her left, looking at Eros. Aphrodite’s hair looks like coarse wire pulled back, underneath a small bonnet. She is wearing a long, draped dress and her feet stick out underneath and are resting on a little foot bench. Her left foot is a little more forward than her right, almost representing the striding pose. Her right arm is a little too thick to be naturalistic, but otherwise her features are humanistic and naturalistic. Eros’ face looks like it belongs on a china doll, and is quite stoic. The rattle that Aphrodite is holding looks like a ball with a dowel rod sticking through it.

Filiform Aphrodite is a bronze statue made in the fourth century B.C. Aphrodite is extremely elongated and her body and features are not naturalistic. The most naturalistic part of her, is her face. Her eyes are almond shaped, and her mouth looks like she is frowning or has a resting frown face. She has no ears, presumably they are covered by her hair which looks like she is wearing a basket on top of her head. Aphrodite’s breasts and knees look like little peas stuck onto her body. Her arms are attached to her sides and look like penguin flippers. Her feet look like they are a horse’s hoof, and the only representation of her wearing clothing is one horizontal line right above her feet. She has no figure, and no discerning features that really identify her as a woman besides her pea looking breasts.

Both Aphrodite and Eros as well as Filiform Aphrodite are Greek sculptures representing the same Greek goddess. Both Aphrodite figures’ hair is represented to be pulled back in a bun, underneath a bonnet or other head covering. Aphrodite is depicted in both sculptures to have almond shaped eyes and an oval face. In both works of art, Aphrodite does not have any recognizable toes on her feet. Although we don’t know the artist of either of the sculptures, we know that each artist was trying to tell a story. We know their art represents the time period, themselves, and location in Greece.

I think it is fascinating to see the difference between the two pieces of art that were created only one hundred years apart. Not only are the sculptures created from different mediums but they don’t even look like they are representing the same person. Whereas Filiform Aphrodite is stretched like an elongated pole with a head, Aphrodite and Eros is clearly a woman only recognizable as Aphrodite since she is holding the winged Eros. Aphrodite and Eros is seated but Filiform Aphrodite is standing tall. Aphrodite and Eros was painted with great color and sculpted to show detail and look naturalistic, unlike the Filiform Aphrodite that was meant to be simplistic with focus on her height, head, and face. Aphrodite and Eros looks as if it could be a real scene of a woman holding a child. This is unlike Filiform Aphrodite that is just Aphrodite standing like a still statue, no pun intended.

All in all, Filiform Aphrodite and Aphrodite and Eros have similarities and differences which are contributed by the difference in a century of time, different artists, and different purposes as to why the art was made.